The horizontal line represents the person’s life.1651 - born1739 - died

Bernard, Samuel

, an opulent financier of France,
was the son of Samuel Bernard, an engraver (mentioned by^trutt), whodied in 1687. He was born in 1651, but
how educated, or by what means he raised his fortune, we
are nor told Under the ministry of Chamillard he became
a farmer general, and accumulated a capital of thirty-three
mi i lions, of which he made a very liberal use, but seems
to have been proudly aware of the superiority of lender
0ver borrower. When LouisXIV. wanted supplies, Bernard grained them, but always in consequence of his majesty’s applying to him in person. Louis XV. when in
need of similar help, sent certain persons to Bernard, whose
answer was, that “those who wanted his assistance might
at least take the trouble to apply themselves.” He was
accordingly presented to the king, who said many flattering things to him, and ordered the courtiers to pay him
every mark of respect. Bernard was now called the saviour
of the state all the courtiers entertained him in succession he dined with the marshal Noailles, and supped
with the duchess of Tallard, and played and lost what they
pleased. They sneered at his manners, which were citizen-like, and he lent the millions which they demanded.
Bernard, however, was of a benevolent turn the poor of
| the military order were particularly the subjects of his
bounty, and, frequently as they might apply, they never
were refused, On his death it was found that he had lent
ten millions, of which he never received a farthing in return. In his speculations he was both bold and successful.
One day he had asked a person of distinction to dine with
him, and had promised to treat him with some excellent
mountain, not knowing at that time that his stock was exhausted. After dinner his servant announced this lamentable deficiency, and Bernard, not a little hurt at the unseasonable discovery, immediately dispatched one of his
clerks to Holland, with instructions to purchase every
drop of mountain in the port of Amsterdam, by which he
afterwards gained an immense sum. Of his family, so
little was known, that he was supposed to be of Jewish
descent, but without any reason. He used to say, that if
they would make him a chevalier, his name would no longer
hurt their delicate feelings, and accordingly, he received
letters of nobility. He then purchased several estates
with titles, and among others, those of the counts of Coubert; and during the last years of his life, he was generally
called the chevalier Bernard. One of his sons, president
of one of the chambers of inquiry in parliament, bore the
name of Rieux another was called the count de Coubert,
and his grandson, Anne-Gabriel-Henry Bernard, assumed
the title of marquis de Boulainvilliers. He married his
daughter to Mole, first president, and thus became grandfather to the duchess de Cosse-Brissac and his family,
by these revolutions, became allied to the great names of
Biron, Duroure, and Boulainvilliers. Bernard was the
friend of the keeper of the seals, Chauvelin, and remained
faithful to him when disgraced. It is said that he was, or
in his old age became superstitious, and fancied his life
connected with that of a black fowl, of which he took great
care, convinced that its death would be the prelude to his
own. He lived, however, to the advanced age of eightyeight, dying in 1739. Another account informs us, that
the greater part of his thirty-three millions was dissipated
within ten years after his death, and that one of his sons,
who was president of the parliament of Paris, died a bankrupt. Such vicissitudes are too common in all ages to
excite much surprize. 1

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